Most Recent Reviews
Review of Be Our Guest -Counter Service Lunch
Reviewed by mlw17mi Review Date: 03/19/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
We did a trip in Dec 2014. So I received an email before our trip to trial a lunch ADR with preorder. We were quite excited as I couldn't secure an ADR for dinner even though I was up at midnight 180 days out. The check-in was ok and there was a little bit of a wait to the order kiosk. When we tried to finalize our lunch check-in inside the kiosk had no record of our preorder. We had to start again. From the people talking around us it seemed to be happening to a lot of people. This in turn caused a back up and people were beginning to lose a little of their "Disney magic" We had the Deluxe Dining but had a 2 year old who can't go on the plan so we had to pay for him separate and that seemed to be causing the cast member some issue as we were trying to place our order and it took 3 tries to get it correct for us to only pay for his and deduct our credits correctly. However, once done we forged on, found a seat and waited. The food came fairly quickly and I enjoyed the turkey sandwich, 2 of our group really like the Tuna and my mother felt the roast was easily worth the money of a QS and see why it's on the dinner menu. The dessert was fine, pretty but they're cupcakes. I can't attest to all the décor as we had to give up some of the experience to entertain the little guest in our party. Hopefully they've worked out the kinks in ordering and it's great that it's a QS with a table service feel. I hope to try the dinner on another visit and then I can decide which may be more worth the visit.
Pros:
Nice change for a QSCons:
—Review of Biergarten - Lunch/Dinner
Reviewed by John Review Date: 03/20/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
Eating at The Biergarten has become a tradition with our family. We love the German food and atmosphere. It is always fun. Also the wait has never been long and the staff is always efficient and courteous.
Pros:
Great food and entertainmentCons:
NoneReview of Flame Tree Barbecue
Reviewed by John Review Date: 03/20/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
The food at the Flame Tree BBQ is great and if you sit in the right spot you have a great view of Animal Kingdom. The only downside is the birds which you have to be careful or they will take your food.
Pros:
Great FoodCons:
The BirdsReview of 'Ohana Best Friends Character Breakfast
Reviewed by John Review Date: 03/20/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
Eating at breakfast at 'Ohana has become a tradition with our family. The food is all good, but the juice and the bread are great! Our grandchildren, although they are now in their teens, love to see Lilo, Stitch, and the other characters.
Pros:
Great Food, Characters, and serviceCons:
NoneReview of Cinderella's Royal Table Dinner
Reviewed by mlw17mi Review Date: 03/21/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
So we actually came in Dec 2014. We had a party of 4 adults and one 2 year old. This was a first trip for 3 of the group including the 2 year old. Of course our little trooper was exhausted by his first day and fell asleep right before we arrived for our reservations. The staff kindly let us leave him in the stroller and we took our pictures with Cinderella and up the elevator we went. They were able to accommodate a table where we could keep the stroller mostly reclined yet out of the way of other guests. The princesses kindly took pictures with the "sleeping prince" and Sleeping Beauty joked about knowing a thing or two about sleeping herself. Our server was awesome and he brought a wand and sword for everyone at the table and referred to all the women as "Princess" (I've actually spotted him in one of the Disney Commercials presenting a tiara to a little girl on the Disney Channel lol it was fun to call family and tell them that's the same guy we had!! lol) The food came at a wonderful pace and everything was wonderful. Disappointed no Beef Barley soup as it was amazing our last trip. We all had apps varied from Shrimp, Pork Belly and salads. Since I'm writing this late I don't remember the entrée but it was fine. We had preordered a slipper dessert for a Birthday surprise and a crown dessert for a first visit. Both which were good according to the receivers but being on the Deluxe DP they had a bit too much dessert! My grandfather adored this place and primarily for the food. Of all the restaurants all week he kept referring to this being his favorite. My sister-in-law preferred the Coral Reef (which I didn't like at all) so it really comes to preference. I can't say how it was for the 2 year old as he actually slept the entire dinner! But it was great that for such a limited space they still accommodated him and made sure to include the sword etc just in case he woke up. This being the 3rd visit here for some of us I don't know if we'll continue to make it a must do. However, if you've never been, certainly if you have the dining plan (deluxe even easier since it's 2 TS) and would like to meet the princesses in a much easier no line atmosphere you should really try it. As far as concerns I read about no romance etc. I think the romance comes in the idea of it's Cinderella's Castle. There will be kids, it's geared to kids to meet the princesses. After all that's why it's a character meal. In the 3 visits I've seen 2 proposals. Enjoy it, embrace the characters and the atmosphere of being surrounded by a court of many pirates, princesses and princes. Soak up the Magic!!
Pros:
Accomodated a sleeping child, food, waiterCons:
—Review of Art of Animation Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by mlw17mi Review Date: 03/21/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
So we took a family trip in Dec 2014. We had a group of 5. It was a first time for 3 of them which included my Sister-in-law, 2 yr old nephew and 75 yr old Grandpa. We stayed in a Cars suite. Check-in was easy and they actually greeted us as we walked in and a man with a tablet had us take a seat why he finished checking us in. Our first room assignment was in the furthest Cars Building and I asked right away if they had something on the end of one of the other buildings as with my grandpa we were trying to limit adding on a lot of extra walking. After a quick check they were able to help us. The room is very similar to the pictures online yet still a bit smaller than I expected. However, in 2012 my mom and I stayed here in a Little Mermaid room and the suites are SO MUCH CLOSER than the Little Mermaid rooms. Which was great when hauling a toddler with stroller and an elder. We were able to use the pool only one day we were there as the rest of the week it dipped near 50's and even for Michigan people that's too cold to swim. My nephew didn't mind as he got one pool day and it was great they had the life vests to use and we felt safer even if he never left our hands. The staff kindly obliged bringing two fans as part of us need it for noise and the other can't stand heat. But having my grandfather in the room he likes it roasting. Our housekeeper was fun and left some towel animals and toys playing around the room. A few times we left our daily tip and returned the favor by leaving little setups of our own. We had brought a cheap Cars magnetic writer that my nephew played with and would often write Thanks, etc next to the tip. She would often erase and leave us messages too. This was a change as in 2012 never once was anything done even with a tip left and it was noted we were celebrating a birthday etc. Buses were much better this time as far as waiting time. Still with being a family resort we still ran into some of the issues of waiting for the "scooter parades" and maneuvering the strollers amongst all the other parents on the bus. I'm guessing since it was early December it helped with the crowds being less but keep in mind if you have small children not everyone is willing to give up their seat for parents with babies, sleeping kids etc. I saw more than one kid hit the floor trying to hold unto a parent or bar. I've noticed this more here than when I stayed at AS Movies but again with the suites I think you'll run into this more as it's so family centered. My biggest disappointment here really is the food court. It's just not really my taste ie Tandoori, Mongolian foods, chicken burgers. Turns out the new people in my group wasn't thrilled either. Good news is we often ate away from AOA having the Deluxe DP. But POP Century is less than a 10 minute walk away and they have a much more familiar QS with Chicken Nuggets (a must have for the 2 year old) pork loin, etc. We did do Pizza Delivery one night which comes from POP and it was quite good. I actually don't care for Pizza that much and really liked it. I think for our next trip (just my mom and I) we're going to stay at POP due to the dedicated Bus System and still a Value Resort. If staying with a group Art of Animation is a good option and might be better staying together than in 2 adjoining rooms. (Which when I was looking at reservations WDW told me couldn't be guaranteed). The theming is fun and my nephew loved running around and touching McQueen and Mater. If you're not going to be staying in a Suite I would recommend staying at a different Value resort like POP. Unless you have a die hard Little Mermaid fan the walk is just too far and comparatively you can stay in a preferred room at POP much closer to everything to use your refillable mug, buses etc.
Pros:
Size of roomCons:
Food CourtReview of Shades of Green
Reviewed by shilohg76 Review Date: 03/21/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
Between cost, space and atmosphere, it is hard to beat Shades of Green. We've been coming to this resort since it first was leased by the military, back when it was just changed from The Disney Inn and continue to do so a number of times a year. Our most recent trip was in February. Normally there are several of us who travel together, but this time it was a girls' only trip with my mother and myself. We were just up for a long weekend and had a blast. First off, the rooms are large for the price paid. For a similar price at a moderate Disney resort, the room would barely be big enough for 3 adults. With 2 queens and a sleeper sofa, you can't complain about cramped quarters.
We normally do the dining plan at SoG, but since it was just a quick trip, we didn't have the option. We still did the breakfast buffet and it was wonderful. I have several food allergies and am also diabetic but I had no issues finding PLENTY to eat. I have found that it can be hit or miss with buffets when you're allergic to onions/garlic, but the availability of create your own omelets and different meat and cheese and fruit options helped tremendously.
The only issue we had was mostly of my own making. We'd plan to go to one park or Downtown Disney but didn't actually consult the handy times guide given to us at check in and thus, either just missed a bus or were halfway between them. Luckily, we really didn't have any ADRs to worry about, so we enjoyed the weather (I considered it chilly, but I've lived in Florida for over 10 years and my blood has thinned to such a point that anything under 70 degrees is chilly).
All in all, if you have the chance to stay here, I highly recommend it. While there is the flavor of military present (bus and restaurant times are military), there is also an overwhelming feeling of Disney, making this property feel warm and inviting. Price, atmosphere and service combine to make this a wonderful destination for families.
Pros:
Location, serviceCons:
TransportationReview of California Grill
Reviewed by Dispro Review Date: 03/22/2015
Rating: (9) Recommended
The view from California Grill is what keeps us coming back! Unfortunately, some of the menu items that used to be our favorites are either missing (Valrhona chocolate cake) or not as good as they used to be (sushi). However, if you order the right things, it is still awesome. As someone else mentioned, the pork tenderloin with goat cheese polenta is incredible. However, you will need to ask for the "retro pork" or the "pork old school" in order to avoid the pork two ways that is on the menu (that I ordered once and found to be disgusting). The flatbreads are also delicious. My husband chose to order some type of fish this time, and it was just okay... So he will go back to the retro pork next time. I still don't know why they took away the Valrhona chocolate cake, and I voice my displeasure every time (although it doesn't change anything). I rated Cali Grill a 9 because there is no 8.5 on the rating system, however, if my husband had ordered the pork, it would have been a 9 anyway. We did have a tablecloth and always have, so I'm not sure why the last reviewer did not. FYI, they do have a good bar here if you like alcoholic beverages. The lemon drop with the sugared rim glass is delicious.
Pros:
Best view at WDW (my opinion)Cons:
Some menu items aren't as good as they used to beReviewed by Dispro Review Date: 03/22/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stay here twice a year...once with our kids and once without our kids. That's how much we love the Royal Palm Club. The resort is absolutely beautiful, and staying in the RPC gives us a private big band concert every evening (meaning we don't have to fight over a seat in the lobby to enjoy the band or pianist). We have stayed at club levels at other Disney resorts, and although they all have their own positive aspects, we think RPC has the best food offerings. The atmosphere and service are great too. My husband and I stayed at RPC again last month for our anniversary trip, and once again, had a fantastic time. Being in the main building is very convenient, and if you have it in your budget, I would highly recommend the main building (RPC) experience!
Pros:
Everything!Cons:
ExpensiveReview of Artist Point
Reviewed by Hannamom Review Date: 03/22/2015
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
“Over rated, not worth the two dining credits :(â€
My party of 8 dined at Artists Point on March 19h at 6pm and our waiter was Martin. He was very nice and an excellent server as he spent time with us answering our questions. The restaurant is elegant and the noise level was never too loud.
I expected an out of the world meal but it was just average. The food was better and tastier at Harbor House in Magic Kingdom. I ordered the salmon. On the menu it is described as their signature dish. "Cedar Plank roasted Salmon with sweet potato mash, house smoked bacon, winter vegetables and apple cider gastrique" for $39. The salmon tasted like farmed Atlantic salmon, it had no taste. The sweet potato mash was about 2 tablespoons spread on the plate. There were 3 small brussel sprouts that were halved. They were dry and the tops were hard and inedible. There was 3 small broccoli florets that were over roasted and dry. The bacon consisted of one piece about 2 inches. For $39 I would expect a few more vegetable and more than one small piece of bacon. The root vegetables did not taste good and I did not eat them.See the attached picture that shows my description. I could have complained about the dish but I was hungry and didn't feel like causing a disruption. My daughter also ordered the salmon and barely touched the whole plate. I had the suggested wine that was paired with the salmon and that was the most memorable part of the meal.
For dessert I had the chocolate creme brûlée which was good but nothing memorable.
Artists Point was a disappointment. The service was excellent but the meal fell flat and I expected more from this restaurant
